International Forecourt Standards Forum

The International Forecourt Standards Forum is a UK-based European organisation

which designs standards for connecting devices on a service station forecourt, such
as dispensers, Tank Level Gauges, Price Signs, Car Washes and Outdoor Payment
Terminals. In recent years additional standards have been added for Electronic
Funds Transfer.

Impact and deployment

IFSF forecourt equipment has seen considerable success in Europe and some growth
markets like Russia and Eastern Europe, but is relatively rare elsewhere. It has
not seen much usage in North America,[2] although several member companies are
based there. However additional members have continued to join IFSF from many
countries, in particular Shell who has pushed IFSF heavily in their European
operations. Typically most major manufacturers offer an IFSF version of their
equipment, though it may not be widely deployed. During 2007 IFSF was promoted
heavily in China.[3]

The newer EFT standards, "POS-EPS" based on XML technologies, are being used more
widely.[4][5]

Where IFSF is not used, a large variety of proprietary protocols are used. In many
deployments, existing site equipment is converted to IFSF operation using a
"protocol converter" or PCD, a small computer that accepts IFSF protocol and
communicates to the device using its native, proprietary protocol. The PCD is most
commonly fitted inside each dispenser, although it is possible for a single
converter to convert many devices.

How IFSF works

IFSF is more complex but more comprehensive than most proprietary protocols. The
IFSF protocol has two independent layers; a device application protocol layer and a
communications protocol layer. The application protocol is independent of the
underlying communications layer. The communications protocol specification makes
the link to the transport layer.

At the communication layer, LonWorks has been predominantly deployed because

existing cables and cabling topology can be reused. Methods have been defined to
use TCP/IP, but this requires higher specification cable and a point to point
topology, and is therefore more suited to green field or rebuild service stations;
in practice it is relatively rare.

The IFSF standards define messages sent and received by each type of device. The
messages are designed to be expandable by specifying individual fields with types
and lengths. The messages are grouped into various "databases" for the logical
parts of each device, such as a nozzle at a pump.

Each type of device (dispenser, tank level gauge, price sign, carwash, etc.)
defines its own set of databases and fields. Most devices also define a state
machine to control the operation of the device. For example, the Dispenser device
has the following states:[6]

Inoperative (during startup)

Closed (not allowed to sell fuel, but otherwise working)
Idle (normal operating state)
Authorised (nozzle in, but authorised for the next delivery of fuel)
Calling (nozzle out, not yet authorised)
Started (nozzle out and authorised, but no fuel flowing yet)
Suspended started (paused, before fuel flow)
Fuelling (fuel flowing)
Suspended fuelling (paused, during fuel flow)